


Like He Never Existed

by guessimdemoms



Category: Ben Brainard, Welcome To The Statehouse, Welcome To The Table - Ben Brainard (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:53:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guessimdemoms/pseuds/guessimdemoms
Summary: DC had been missing for at least a couple of weeks, but the states figured he was just bunking down at the White House for safety after what happened at the Capitol. There was no time for meetings with the inauguration looming and the potential security threat kept everyone on edge.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This has kind of the Main 6 ship if you squint. Also I know Old DC has appeared again but let's pretend that didn't happen shall we?

He appeared the day after the inauguration. 

DC had been missing for at least a couple of weeks, but the states figured he was just bunking down at the White House for safety after what happened at the Capitol. There was no time for meetings with the inauguration looming and the potential security threat kept everyone on edge (except Florida of course, he enjoyed the chaos). 

The day of the inauguration everyone assumed DC would at least be in the crowd as he always had. They tuned in at the exact time expecting to see their nervous companion and fearless leader standing right next to the politicians and celebrity guests, looking proud. 

And well, IDC was there, dressed to the nines, looking smug. But someone was standing next to her….someone dressed in a dark blue suit with a nice blue tie. He looked like DC, smiled like DC….

But he wasn’t DC. 

Florida and Louisiana jumped to conclusions, of course, that it was aliens, a secret government conspiracy, that they cloned DC and killed the real one just like Avril Lavinge. The more logical states tried to calm them down by pointing out that maybe DC just cleaned himself up better, and besides he’d probably call a meeting tomorrow anyway. 

His name was Gov. 

Gov introduced himself to the table with an air of sophistication and class, had a no-nonsense attitude, and carried himself with pride and strength. Once the confusion was settled, everyone asked where DC was, was he still in the bunker, and why were you a perfect clone? 

The “New DC”, as Florida dubbed him, was confused but explained that since Biden was coming off the heels of a turmedulous administration, the government felt that the new rep should be the model of calm and order. DC was “fine” but he wouldn’t appear anymore, and meetings should be smoother and more structured. 

Which was the wrong thing to say because as soon as the words left Gov’s mouth, Florida jumped up, screamed ‘YOU’RE NOT MY DC’, and ran out. 

Gov couldn’t get himself settled with the states, no matter how many times he tried to appease them. None of them trusted him, and many stopped showing up to meetings. The only one who kind of trusted him was Georgia and even he had some resentment towards him. He complained about this to IDC constantly when he went back to Washington, and IDC reassured him that they’d come around “they usually do”. 

Course it didn’t mean he didn’t make some mistakes; for one thing when Texas asked him if he was planning on staying at the Statehouse, and Gov laughed, he genuinely thought the southern state was joking. But the look on Texas’s face conveyed that no this wasn’t a joke and he probably just insulted the other forty-nine states with his laugh. 

“DC would’ve.” Florida whimpered before storming off to his room and slamming the door with Louisiana following. 

Gov was at a loss, he couldn’t be DC no matter how hard he tried. Why couldn’t the states just follow his authority? 

It took all the whining in the world before IDC tracked down DC. 

She appeared at the Statehouse at breakfast, which was a somber affair ever since DC left, and threw a scrap of paper down on the table. 

“Will you stop bothering Gov now?” IDC asked before disappearing again. After a mad scramble for the paper, it was revealed to be an address. A possible address to DC! The states made no haste to finish their breakfasts before going off to Washington to find their DC and bring him home. 

Only it wasn’t in Washington, it was in San Francisco. 

(California was shocked, of course, and tried to argue as New York tried to kill him that if he’d known that’s where old DC ended up he would’ve said something.) 

They found old DC at a small cafe in a small suburbia in San Francisco, run by himself and two other men who possibly shared one brain cell between. He looked calmer, more relaxed, happy, and greeted the states tumbling into the cafe with the same grin they (rarely) saw him show in meetings. 

But as soon as Florida greeted him with ‘DC!’, DC looked at them confused and pointed at his name tag that read ‘Adam’. 

No matter what the states did, no matter what they said, ‘Adam’ couldn’t remember them. It seemed like between their last meeting, and inauguration, DC just….forgot. 

All the states could do was order something and observe DC, sorry Adam, as he worked. There was still traces of the old DC; one of his idiotic co-workers did something or some shenigans were going down, DC adopted the ‘kill me now’ look that the states could fully remember being shot. It really came to ahead when a beautiful blonde woman came into the shop like she owned it, and Adam, jumped from behind the counter and kissed her softly. 

DC was gone. 

IDC had to explain it to the states later as they demanded answers. DC wasn’t ‘right’ after the Capitol attack, and had constant episodes leading to the inauguration. After one bad night, DC had begged IDC to replace him and to wipe his memory, knowing even with the new administration he’ll never be good again. Adam Cooke was now a barista in San Francisco, rescued after the Capitol attack when he ran in trying to cover the story after the police failed to stop the protestors. He had fallen in love with his nurse, and the two now lived together with their one-year-old. 

(Well the one-year-old was Stephanie’s, Adam had no biological link to the little girl, but she might as well have been her father with how he treated her.) 

DC left behind his old suit jacket, tie, and pin which IDC gave to the states. She begged the states to give Gov a chance, he was just trying his best, and while he’d never replace DC, he could still be just as good. 

That night, when they got back to the Statehouse and went their separate ways, Louisiana walked past California’s room and heard soft whimpering. He peeked his head in and saw California crying into DC’s old jacket. The Cajun state went in to comfort California, but soon found himself lost in his own tears as three other states joined them. 

They mourned the loss of their friend, someone they took advantage of, and who they’d probably never talk to again. 

Two days later, Gov walked towards the meeting room, holding his work bag and a plate of cookies he (attempted) to make. He was hoping the states would be welcoming to the cookies and the news he was going to be living in the Statehouse for the time being. He knew he could never replace this ‘DC’ but if they just accepted him, they’d find they weren’t that different after all. 

Gov entered the meeting room, ready to have to force the states to attend, when he froze.

All the states were there, chatting and making fun of each other. Gov remained shocked as he sat down and put the plate of cookies down in the center of the table. 

“Looks worse than Daytona after bike week.” Florida announced. 

“I-Is that an insult?” Gov asked the closet state (New York). 

“Anything out of his mouth is an insult.” New York muttered. At the chorus of “WOOOOOOOOW” from Louisiana and Florida, Gov knew he had started the process of being accepted by the states. 

For better or worse.


	2. Bonus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm adding a bonus fluff chapter because I laid it pretty thick with the angst

It was a warm, sunny, Sunday in San Francisco. 

“Louise? Louise?” Adam called looking around the park. 

“Son of a, I told Jackson to watch her during the egg hunt!” Stephanie yelled, stomping her foot. 

“Now if I remember correctly, I’m pretty sure your sister was supposed to watch her but then she dumped that on Jackson.” Adam pointed out. 

“Okay regardless, our daughter is missing.” Stephanie pointed out. Adam looked around the vast park before pointing over at a large oak tree. 

“There she is!” Adam yelled before rushing over, Stephanie following his lead. Louise Cooke sat underneath the large tree, dressed in her Easter finary, with a pastel basket next to her and a ton of plastic eggs in front of her. Louise didn’t even glance up when her parents approached, focused on opening up one of the eggs she had collected. 

“Louise! We were so worried!” Stephanie gasped bending down and picking up her daughter. 

“Egg!” Louise announced waving her plastic egg. 

“Did you get some eggs, sweetie?” Stephanie asked, taking the egg from her daughter. 

“Some’s an understatement.” Adam muttered looking down at the egg pile gathered around his daughter. Stephanie followed her boyfriend’s gaze and looked at the giant pile of plastic eggs and candy surrounding the small area Louise sat in. 

“W-Who help you collect all those?” Stephanie asked. 

“Dia!” Louise announced proudly. 

“Dia?” Adam asked as Stephanie put Louise down again. 

“Maybe an imaginary friend?” Stephanie suggested. 

“I feel like she’s a bit young to have an imaginary friend.” Adam pointed out. 

“I bet Jackson helped her collect them, maybe he was watching her.” Stephanie said with a shrug, looking around the nearly empty park. 

“Huh. Kid can look up from his phone.” Adam said with a snicker as Stephanie put her arm around his waist. “Louise, honey, we’re just going to grab mommy’s purse okay? Stay here.” 

“Otay!” Louise announced cheerfully. Her parents hurried off to collect their things, leaving the little girl with her eggs, before a shadow fell over her. 

“Found more!” Florida announced dumping more eggs on the ground making the toddler squeal. 

“Florida, we should be helping her find eggs. This isn’t fair to the other children.” California pointed out stepping out from behind the tree. 

“That’s some Commie bullshit and you know it.” Texas pointed out joining the four and dumping more eggs on the child’s enormous pile. 

“Yeah! Everyone knows the point of Easter is to hoard all the candy!” Florida pointed out, already chewing on two pieces of candy before getting whacked over the head. 

“Sha, that’s for Louise!” Louisiana scolded. Florida pouted which made the little girl giggle. Texas sat down on the grass and hoisted Louise on his lap, as she played with one of the plastic eggs trying to get it open.

“So what are we telling her when she’s older?” California asked gently. 

“The truth.” Florida announced. 

“Oh yeah Florida that’ll go down really well.” New York said rolling his eyes. “By the way we’re personifications of states and your daddy was one of us before he had a mental breakdown.” 

“She’s going to ask either way!” Texas pointed out. At that moment, Louise accidentally broke the egg she was trying to open. She looked at the remains of the plastic cylinder before beginning to cry. 

“Hey now, hey there’s no need for tears.” Louisiana offered taking Louise from Texas. “Tell ya what, how about I tell ya a story.” 

“Ooh what about the alligator who ate the sink hole?” Florida offered. New York gave Florida a look, and Louisiana ignored his best friend's suggestion. 

“Once upon a time, there were fifty knights who ruled over their own kingdoms. The best, and bravest of the knights became king and ruled over the fifty with kindness and grace, although the knights didn’t appreciate him at the time.” Louisiana began. Recognizing the story, Texas took off his hat as California looked down. 

“One day, the castle was attacked, and the mighty king held his own against the invaders. The king won, but he became sick. The sorceress could heal the king, but he wouldn’t remember the other knights. Facing no choice, the sorceress healed him but, like proclaimed, the king lost his memory of his friends.” Louisiana continued, tears welling in his eyes. New York looked away from the pair trying to hide his emotion while Florida kicked the ground. 

“Louise we’re back honey!” A voice called in the distance, and Louisiana quickly put Louise down and the five states disappeared just as Adam and Stephanie came back. 

“There’s more.” Stephanie whispered looking at all the eggs. 

“Jackson definitely helped.” Adam suggested picking Louise up. “C’mon hon, let’s get you home.” 

“Loui!” Louise called. 

“That’s right! That’s your name!” Adam said with a giggle, tickling his daughter as he and his girlfriend walked off. The states re-appeared again, watching the two walk off. 

“Loui?” Florida whispered tugging on Louisiana’s arm. “How’d that story end?” 

“Five of the brave knights vowed to watch over the king’s daughter for the rest of their lives.” Louisiana announced eyes never leaving the family. Adam tossed Louise up into the air, much to her delight, and caught her, kissing her all over. 

“It was the least they could do for their king.”


End file.
